Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP50166 Archaeology of death & burial |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: ES100 |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: This unit aims to introduce students to the analysis of physical remains from our past, and is designed to appeal to students form a variety of different backgrounds. It will assess archaeological research from a variety of different time periods with a particular focus on: European Prehistory, the Roman World, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval England as well as Victorian and Post Reformation churches and monuments. It aims to:
* provide a comprehensive understanding of funeral customs, burial rituals and the remembrance of the dead in past societies. * provide students with a conceptual understanding of archaeological research methods, theory and interpretation. * critically engage with contemporary issues, debates, and challenges facing inter-disciplinary research in this field. Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to: 1) Critically evaluate the significance and limitations of archaeological evidence. 2) Systematically account for the different types of disposal as well as funerary sites and monuments. 3) Use archaeological data to critically analyse funerary behaviours. 4) Discuss and evaluate the integration of Anthropology, History and Archaeology and their contribution to our understanding of the death ritual and its place within past society. Skills: * Develop skills to critically reflect on the suitability of diverse approaches for investigating and analysing problems. * Systematically synthesise information from a variety of academic perspectives for a critical understanding of theoretical and practical approaches. * Appreciate and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a range of theoretical approaches. * Develop conceptual tools for ethical thinking. * Identify and access relevant information sources. * Communicate complex issues and perspectives effectively through written and oral media. * Develop skills of time management, workload prioritisation and related planning skills. * Develop effective writing and presentation skills. Content: 1) Background and nature of the evidence 2) Death, burial and the funeral in past societies 3) Cemetery Analysis 4) Status, kinship and gender 5) Skeletal archaeology 6) Sacrifice, infanticide and deviant burials 7) Mummification, preservation and the archaeology of the body 8) Burial and belief 9) Monuments and emotions in the past 10) Churches, churchyards and burial grounds 11) Ethics and burial archaeology. |